Tips for Weight Loss in Preteens

If you have a child in their preteen years who needs to lose weight quickly, it is important that you begin by promoting a healthy lifestyle at home. While there are a plethora of fad diets out there that are prepared to help people lose weight fast, not all of them are the healthiest choices available, especially for children. Since children require a certain amount of nutrients and calories per day in order for their minds and bodies to develop, depriving them of those nutrients for the sake of a quick weight loss could be harmful in the long run.

Instructions

1

Consult a doctor. Before putting your child on a weight loss program, it is important that you consult with his doctor. Parents of overweight children can benefit greatly from a doctor's wisdom and advice, especially where their child's health is concerned. A doctor can help you to select an appropriate weight loss program that is right for your child, as well as answer any questions you may have along the way.

2

Don't think of it as a diet. Dieting can lead to unhealthy expectations, adding unneeded stress to a child's life. And since stress in the body releases Cortisol, otherwise known as the stress hormone, it causes the body to store unwanted fat around the middle. Preteens can be sensitive to their physical appearance, and the last thing he needs is to be stressed out about having to lose weight. Think of it as a lifestyle change. Don't focus too much on losing weight, but rather on simply eating healthy. And if you would like to help him keep the weight off, it is best to develop hard and fast healthy eating habits rather than pushing quick-fix diets that don't always work.

3

Promote physical activity. Whether they are sitting in a classroom, on the computer, playing video games or watching television for hours at a time, lack of physical activity has become one of the biggest culprits to weight gain in children. Encourage your child to get off the couch. Invite her to go on a bike ride with you or her friends. Restrict the time she spends on the computer and in front of the television, especially on weekends. Sign her up for team sports. Get her involved outside of the home.

4

Avoid fast food restaurants. Eating out has become the simple dinner solution for many working parents. However, because most fast food chains are serving food that is high in fat, calories, cholesterol and sodium, children are being exposed to serious health issues down the road, including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. By cutting out fast food restaurants, not only are you cutting out unnecessary calories, but you are also cutting out many of those serious health risks attached to them.

5

Fill your child up with whole foods. Eating smaller and healthier meals more frequently throughout the day can help to boost a child's metabolism, in turn encouraging quicker weight loss. Make sure your child gets enough whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and protein, while avoiding empty-calorie foods and beverages like soda, candy, butter, potato chips, French fries and other foods high in fat. An empty calorie, by definition, means high-calorie, low-nutrition.

6

Be a good role model. If your child is on a weight loss program, be the best role model you can be. Don't sabotage their weight loss by neglecting to eat and live healthy yourself. Children learn by example, and one of the fastest and easiest ways to educate them about their own health is by living it every day. And by doing so, you might even lose a few pounds yourself.